Effects of Nonstereotyped Occupational Gender Role Portrayal in Advertising How Showing Women in Male-Stereotyped Job Roles Sends Positive Signals about Brands

摘要

Stereotyped occupational gender-role portrayals still are used frequently in advertising. Despite this, no previous research has examined their effects. Tentative findings from the advertising industry and some recent research suggest that other types of nonstereotyped gender-role portrayals in advertising can have a number of positive effects. This article corroborates these findings in three empirical studies that demonstrate the positive brand-related and social effects of nonstereotyped occupational gender-role portrayals in advertising on respondents, regardless of their gender. The findings also reveal that the positive effects of nonstereotyped occupational gender-role portrayals can be explained by signaling mechanisms. This article thus contributes to the literature on stereotyped gender-role portrayals as well as to the wider application of signaling theory and the growing research interest in how social and brand-related effects are connected.